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THE BASICS OF THE STATE What is the “state”?

What are some of the theories surrounding its creation?

What is “public policy”?

WHAT IS “THE STATE”

¢ The “state” is the dominant political unit in our world today

¢ Def: A body of people living in a defined territory and organized under a government, who has the power to make public policy

WHAT IS “PUBLIC POLICY”?

¢  Public policy is (1) all the goals a government sets and (2) all the actions a government takes to meet the needs of its citizens

The Massacre of European Protestants during the Reformation, 1500’s

Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer at his trial in 1991

Highway construction in New York State, cir. 2004

A couple surveying the destruction of their neighborhood following Hurricane Katrina, 2005

The terror attacks on the World Trade Center, 2001

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A STATE?

¢  States typically are defined by four (4) basic elements:

1.  Population 2.  Territory 3.  Sovereignty 4.  Government

WHAT IS “POPULATION”?

¢ States need to have citizens in order to participate & follow its public policy

¢  Populations can be: �  Homogeneous - Citizens

share common customs, language, and culture

�  Heterogeneous - Citizens lack common customs language, and culture

WHAT IS “TERRITORY”?

¢ States need defined and recognized borders

¢ Borders help to mark areas of ownership, citizenship, and state control when dealing with other peoples or states

WHAT IS “SOVEREIGNTY”?

¢ States need supreme and absolute power within its own territory

¢ If a state lacks sovereignty, it can not make or execute effective public policy

WHAT IS “GOVERNMENT”?

¢ States need government to help make and enforce public policy

¢ Without government, the lives of citizens would be “a war of every man”

What are some of the major theories about how government started?

¢  There are four (4) major theories about how government got started:

1.  The Force Theory 2.  The Evolution Theory 3.  The Divine Right

Theory 4.  The Social Contract

Theory

What are the major theories about how government was started?

¢ The Force Theory �  States were created by

powerful leaders who forced people to accept their sovereignty

¢ Historical Examples: �  The Romans �  Nazi Germany �  Soviet Union

What are the major theories about how government was started?

¢ The Evolution Theory

�  States grew out of family groups and placed sovereignty in the hands of the oldest and wisest

¢ Historical Examples: �  Native American tribes �  Brazilian tribal societies

What are the major theories about how government was started?

¢ The Divine Right Theory

�  God created the state and gave those of royal birth sovereignty over the state

¢ Historical Examples: �  The royal families of

Europe �  Chinese emperor �  Aztec / Incan Societies

What are the major theories about how government was started?

¢ The Social Contract Theory �  The idea that citizens

agreed to give up some of their freedoms so that the state could better serve their needs

¢ Historical Examples: �  The United States �  Modern democracies

How have states used these theories to create working governments?

¢  States have taken all of these theories into consideration when creating working governments

¢  No two have been alike and all are different